In Shirley Jackson's short story "The Possibility of Evil," Miss Strangeworth is presented as the embodiment of evil. At first glance, Miss Strangeworth seems like a harmless old lady who takes pride in her beautiful rose garden and spends her days writing polite letters to her friends and neighbors. However, as the story progresses, it becomes clear that Miss Strangeworth is actually a malicious, manipulative person who delights in causing harm to those around her.
Miss Strangeworth's evil nature is revealed through her actions and the thoughts that she shares with the reader. Despite her outwardly kind and gentle demeanor, Miss Strangeworth secretly takes pleasure in causing chaos and conflict in her small town. She writes anonymous letters filled with hateful and untrue accusations, causing rifts between friends and families and causing her neighbors to turn against each other.
Miss Strangeworth's motivations for her actions are never fully explained in the story, but it is clear that she derives a twisted sense of satisfaction from causing harm to others. She revels in the power that her anonymous letters give her, and seems to enjoy the chaos and turmoil that they create.
One of the most disturbing aspects of Miss Strangeworth's character is her complete lack of remorse for the harm that she causes. When confronted with the consequences of her actions, she shows no remorse or guilt, but rather becomes defensive and denies any wrongdoing. This lack of empathy and concern for the suffering of others is a key characteristic of an evil person.
In conclusion, Miss Strangeworth is a complex and deeply unsettling character. While she may appear kind and harmless on the surface, her actions reveal a deep-seated malevolence that is truly disturbing. Through her actions and thoughts, Jackson presents Miss Strangeworth as a chilling example of the possibility of evil that exists within all of us.
The Possibility of Evil Analysis
However, although she is convinced of the justness of her actions, she knows that others will not feel the same way, which is why she takes so many steps to remain anonymous. She has no right to say that about anyone. The establishment of this pattern, along with the title of the story, suggest that something significant is wrong in the town. While talking to Mr. During this time period, America defined itself as the de facto superpower of the world and its economy reached heights never seen before. After writing her letters, Miss Strangeworth feels a sense of satisfaction because she believes that she is helping to purge evil from her community. Maybe they need something happy tonight, too.
Miss Strangeworth Character Analysis
Along with his father, Reuven Malter is an orthodox Jew. She is a woman who loves her town, but can be a bit discouraging to the people in her town. She anonymously writes ghastly letters to the people in her neighborhood, and watches them suffer as entertainment. The story takes place in a small town on an ordinary summer morning. Srangeworth actions and what is being said about her , can tell a lot about her personality. It deals with guilt and bad conscience and the like. It is implied that Miss Strangeworth has suggested an affair between the two young people.
The Possibility Of Evil Character Analysis Essay
In colonial Massachusetts, between 1692 and 1693, a series and hearings and prosecutions of people allegedly performing witchcraft took place. Readers of the story may easily be perplexed by the motives the Misfit obtains to commit heinous acts onto innocent victims; however, lack of religious conscience, moral blindness and intermittent conversation with the grandmother Grotesque Elements In A Good Man Is Hard To Find 1284 Words 6 Pages. The roses were passed down from generation to generation, she inherited them. The story takes place in a small town, where everyone knows everyone else. An unnecessary statement that could have been avoided.
The Possibility Of Evil Character Analysis
Harper in the store about the other woman's health, but Mrs. Miss Brill views each person at the garden differently. Miss Chandler Miss Chandler is the town librarian. She is a perfectionist about her house and roses, and is also selfish by not letting her town enjoy the beautiful roses she has in her yard. She knows everything about her town, and she proudly admits that she has never lived anywhere else during her seventy-odd years. At the end of the story, it is implied that her roses are destroyed as a form of retaliation carried out by Don or Helen Crane.
Miss Adela Strangeworth Character Analysis in The Possibility of Evil
In reality, it is just a disguise. In addition, there is yet another character who appears off-kilter to Miss Strangeworth. Mrs Strangeworth corrupts the relationships of the other people in town toward one another and towards her. It is revealed that she often spends her evenings writing nasty letters to the people she interacted with throughout the day. In fact, Linda is the only person in the story to outwardly express any kind of dislike for Miss Strangeworth. The exact issue is unclear, though it is almost certainly sexual in nature.
The Possibility of Evil Study Guide
At age 71, she feels a sense of pride and ownership over the town. The villagers believe that a human sacrifice must take place in June to ensure that a bountiful harvest was ahead of them. Shirley Jackson often wrote in the Gothic tradition, which began in England with works like and made its way to America via the stories of Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Throughout the story, suspense is an important part. Because of the way Miss Strangeworth is, all horrible actions must have a consequence and she finds out the truth of that statement when her vintage old self turns into the evil lady that no one has seen before, and she realizes that she wants more control than she has, basically a god complex. The whole book is told out of chronological order, which means that a reader can become easily confused.
